Bhramam

{{Short description|2021 Indian film}}

{{Long plot|date=October 2021}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}

{{Use Indian English|date=October 2021}}

{{Infobox film

| name = Bhramam

| image = Bhramam.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Official release poster

| director = Ravi K. Chandran

| screenplay = Sarath Balan (dialogues)

| based_on = {{based on|Andhadhun (2018) by Sriram Raghavan}}

| producer =

| starring = Prithviraj Sukumaran
Unni Mukundan
Mamta Mohandas
Raashii Khanna

| cinematography = Ravi K. Chandran

| editing = Sreekar Prasad

| music = Jakes Bejoy

| studio = Viacom18 Studios
AP International

| distributor = Amazon Prime Video (India)
AP International

| released = {{Film date|df=yes|2021|10|07}}

| runtime = 152 minutes

| country = India

| language = Malayalam

| budget =

| gross =

}}

Bhramam ({{Translation|Illusion}}) is a 2021 Indian Malayalam-language black comedy crime thriller film directed and filmed by Ravi K. Chandran. The film stars Prithviraj Sukumaran, Unni Mukundan, Mamta Mohandas, Raashii Khanna, Shankar and Jagadish. It is a remake of the 2018 Hindi film Andhadhun.{{Cite web |date=6 October 2021 |title=Bhramam review: Bumpy ride on a riveting track |url=https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2021/10/06/bhramam-movie-review-prithviraj-raashi-khanna-andhadhun-remake.html |url-status=live |access-date=7 October 2021 |website=Onmanorama|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211006091514/https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2021/10/06/bhramam-movie-review-prithviraj-raashi-khanna-andhadhun-remake.html |archive-date=6 October 2021 }} The film released on Amazon Prime Video in India and in theatres elsewhere on 7 October 2021. Bharatanatyam dancer, Leela Samson made her Malayalam debut.

Plot

The film opens with a boar hunter aiming his shot in a forest, just as the title appears dramatically with the screech of a violent car crash.

The narrative shifts to Ray Mathews, a talented yet blind pianist living alone in a rented house. He frequently performs at orphanages and churches, gaining appreciation for his soulful melodies. Meanwhile, veteran actor Uday Kumar enjoys a peaceful life with his wife Simi, until he's called to Chennai for a business deal worth ₹10 crore.

Ray meets Anna when her scooter accidentally hits him. Feeling guilty, she takes him to her family-run diner, where she and her father are moved by his music. After dropping him home, it's revealed that Ray is pretending to be blind—he removes his lenses and watches her ride away.

Their relationship grows over time, with Ray often performing at the diner. One evening, his tune impresses Uday Kumar, and Anna captures a photo of the two. Later, Uday informs Simi about his trip to Chennai, unaware that this will be his last goodbye.

Ray is invited to perform at Uday’s residence. While playing, he discovers Uday’s dead body and witnesses Simi and her lover Dinesh Prabhakar, a police officer, hide the corpse. Pretending to remain blind, Ray escapes and tries to alert the police, only to find that Dinesh is the investigating officer.

Soon, Uday’s death is declared a suicide, but a neighbor, Irene, suspects foul play. Before she can expose the truth, Simi murders her by pushing her off a building—a crime Ray also secretly witnesses. Later, Simi visits Ray, drugs him under the guise of offering sweets, and confirms her suspicion that he can see. The drug renders Ray permanently blind.

Anna breaks up with Ray after learning he faked his blindness, unaware of the truth behind his actions. Ray becomes a target, with Dinesh attempting to kill him. Ray narrowly escapes and is taken by organ traffickers Martha and Lopez, who are persuaded to spare him in exchange for money.

Ray blackmails Simi for ₹15 lakhs, demanding it for surgery and an escape abroad. Simi and Dinesh plot to kill him, but she is abducted by Martha and taken to Dr. Swamy, an unethical surgeon. Ray and Swamy coerce her into confessing her crimes, which they secretly record.

At a construction site, a confrontation with Dinesh leads to Lopez’s death, and Ray and Swamy knock Simi unconscious. Swamy suggests transplanting her corneas to restore Ray’s sight.

Two years later, Anna reunites with Ray in London after a concert. He recounts how Swamy intended to harvest Simi’s eyes, but she killed him and tried to run Ray over. In a twist of fate, the hunter’s bullet hits a boar, which crashes into Simi’s speeding car, causing a fatal accident.

Ray tells Anna he chose to remain blind, finding peace in his music and life. The film ends with Ray walking away, tapping his stick as a soda can rolls into the street—a quiet echo of his enduring rhythm.

Cast

{{div col}}

{{div col end}}

Production

The success of Sriram Raghavan's Hindi film Andhadhun prompted regional film makers to remake the film in several Indian regional languages. The official announcement of the film being remade in Tamil as Andhagan,{{Cite news |date=1 January 2021 |title=Prashanth's Tamil remake of 'Andhadhun' has been titled 'Andhagan' |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/prashanths-tamil-remake-of-andhadhun-has-been-titled-andhagan/article33472654.ece |url-status=live |access-date=9 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210101121107/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/prashanths-tamil-remake-of-andhadhun-has-been-titled-andhagan/article33472654.ece |archive-date=1 January 2021}} in Telugu as Maestro,{{Cite web |date=24 February 2020 |title=Andhadhun Telugu remake launched: Nithiin teams up with Merlapaka Gandhi |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movies/news/andhadhun-telugu-remake-launched-nithiin-teams-up-with-merlapaka-gandhi/articleshow/74279644.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224234003/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movies/news/andhadhun-telugu-remake-launched-nithiin-teams-up-with-merlapaka-gandhi/articleshow/74279644.cms |archive-date=24 February 2020 |access-date=9 February 2021 |website=The Times of India}} and in Malayalam as Bhramam happened almost at the same time. AJ International signed actors Prithviraj Sukumaran, Mamta Mohandas, Raashii Khanna, Unni Mukundan and Shankar to do the roles of Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu, Radhika Apte, Manav Vij and Anil Dhawan's roles respectively for the Malayalam version to be directed by cinematographer Ravi K. Chandran.{{Cite news |date=20 January 2021 |title=Prithviraj, Mamta Mohandas to star in Andhadhun Malayalam remake Bramam |work=Cinema Express |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/news/2021/jan/20/prithviraj-mamta-mohandasto-star-in-andhadhun-malayalam-remake-bramam-22367.html |url-status=live |access-date=24 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210924080242/https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/news/2021/jan/20/prithviraj-mamta-mohandasto-star-in-andhadhun-malayalam-remake-bramam-22367.html |archive-date=24 September 2021}}{{Cite news |last=Soman |first=Deepa |date=20 January 2021 |title=Prithviraj, Unni Mukundan and Mamtha Mohandas in Ravi K Chandran film 'Bhramam' |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/prithviraj-unni-mukundan-and-mamtha-mohandas-in-ravi-k-chandran-film-bhramam/articleshow/80369074.cms |url-status=live |access-date=9 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210123172633/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/prithviraj-unni-mukundan-and-mamtha-mohandas-in-ravi-k-chandran-film-bhramam/articleshow/80369074.cms |archive-date=23 January 2021}} It marks the second Malayalam film for Raashi Khanna after Villain (2017).

Principal photography began on 27 January 2021 with all cast joining the schedule.{{Cite news |date=27 January 2021 |title=Prithviraj, Unni Mukundan, Mamta starrer 'Bhramam' goes on floors |work=Mathrubhumi |url=https://english.mathrubhumi.com/movies-music/movie-news/prithviraj-unni-mukundan-mamta-starrer-bhramam-goes-on-floors-1.5389788 |url-status=live |access-date=9 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127121139/https://english.mathrubhumi.com/movies-music/movie-news/prithviraj-unni-mukundan-mamta-starrer-bhramam-goes-on-floors-1.5389788 |archive-date=27 January 2021}}{{Cite web |date=28 January 2021 |title=Remake of 'Andhadhun' starring Prithviraj goes on floors |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/remake-andhadhun-starring-prithviraj-goes-floors-142361 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210207164604/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/remake-andhadhun-starring-prithviraj-goes-floors-142361 |archive-date=7 February 2021 |access-date=9 February 2021 |website=The News Minute}}{{Cite news |date=28 January 2021 |title=അന്ധാധുന്‍ റീമേക്ക്; 'ഭ്രമം' ചിത്രീകരണം ആരംഭിച്ചു |language=ml |work=Samayam Malayalam |url=https://malayalam.samayam.com/malayalam-cinema/movie-news/shooting-of-prithviraj-starrer-bhramam-starts-in-kochi/articleshow/80479161.cms |url-status=live |access-date=9 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210130023425/https://malayalam.samayam.com/malayalam-cinema/movie-news/shooting-of-prithviraj-starrer-bhramam-starts-in-kochi/articleshow/80479161.cms |archive-date=30 January 2021}}{{Cite news |date=2 February 2021 |title=Unni Mukundan joins the set of Prithviraj-starrer 'Bhramam' |work=The New Indian Express |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/malayalam/2021/feb/02/unni-mukundan-joins-the-set-of-prithviraj-starrer-bhramam-2258143.html |url-status=live |access-date=9 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210210003325/https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/malayalam/2021/feb/02/unni-mukundan-joins-the-set-of-prithviraj-starrer-bhramam-2258143.html |archive-date=10 February 2021}} On 8 February, R. Rahul, an assistant director who was working on the film was found dead at his hotel room in Maradu in Kochi, Kerala. As per news reports, local police suspect suicide as he was found hanging.{{Cite news |last=Radhakrishnan |first=Manjusha |date=8 February 2021 |title=R Rahul, assistant director on Prithviraj movie 'Bhramam', dies |work=Gulf News |url=https://gulfnews.com/entertainment/south-indian/r-rahul-assistant-director-on-prithviraj-movie-bhramam-dies-1.77037125 |url-status=live |access-date=9 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210208195454/https://gulfnews.com/entertainment/south-indian/r-rahul-assistant-director-on-prithviraj-movie-bhramam-dies-1.77037125 |archive-date=8 February 2021}}{{Cite news |date=8 February 2021 |title=Assistant director R Rahul found dead in Kochi hotel |work=Mathrubhumi |url=https://english.mathrubhumi.com/movies-music/movie-news/assistant-director-r-rahul-found-dead-in-kochi-hotel-1.5421575 |url-status=live |access-date=9 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210208050809/https://english.mathrubhumi.com/movies-music/movie-news/assistant-director-r-rahul-found-dead-in-kochi-hotel-1.5421575 |archive-date=8 February 2021}}{{Cite news |date=8 February 2021 |title=സഹസംവിധായകന്‍ ആര്‍ രാഹുല്‍ മരിച്ച നിലയില്‍ |language=ml |work=Mathrubhumi |url=https://www.mathrubhumi.com/movies-music/news/rahul-r-assistant-director-found-dead-hanging-kochi-suspect-suicide-1.5421555 |url-status=live |access-date=9 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210208043007/https://www.mathrubhumi.com/movies-music/news/rahul-r-assistant-director-found-dead-hanging-kochi-suspect-suicide-1.5421555 |archive-date=8 February 2021}} Principal photography wrapped in early March.{{Cite web |last=Soman |first=Deepa |date=8 March 2021 |title=Prithviraj gives a glimpse into 'Bhramam,' as the film wraps up |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/prithviraj-gives-a-glimpse-into-bhramam-as-the-film-wraps-up/articleshow/81375049.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313130635/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/prithviraj-gives-a-glimpse-into-bhramam-as-the-film-wraps-up/articleshow/81375049.cms |archive-date=13 March 2021 |access-date=9 June 2021 |website=The Times of India}}

Music

{{Infobox album

| name = Bhramam

| type = soundtrack

| artist = Jakes Bejoy

| released = 2021

| genre = Feature Film Soundtrack

| length = 6:59

| label = API Malayalam

| producer = Viacom18 Studios
AP International

| prev_title = Kuruthi

| prev_year = 2021

| next_title = Salute

| next_year = 2022

}}

The music and background scores of the film is arranged by Jakes Bejoy. The song Munthiripoovo from the movie which was sung by Jakes Bejoy and penned by B.K.Harinaraynan was released on 22 September 2021.{{Cite news |date=23 September 2021 |title=Munthiripoovo: Lyrical music video from Prithviraj's Bhramam out |work=Onmanorama |url=https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/music/2021/09/23/munthiripoovo-lyrical-music-video-from-prithviraj-bhramam-out.html |url-status=live |access-date=29 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210929115209/https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/music/2021/09/23/munthiripoovo-lyrical-music-video-from-prithviraj-bhramam-out.html |archive-date=29 September 2021}}

= Track listing =

{{Track listing

| extra_column = Performer(s)

| title1 = Munthiripoovo

| all_music = Jakes Bejoy

| writer1 = B. K. Harinarayanan

| length1 = 04.02

| extra1 = Jakes Bejoy

| total_length = {{Duration|m=06|s=59}}

| title2 = Lokam – Who Wants it

| writer2 = Joe Paul

| length2 = 02.57

| all_writing =

| extra2 = Prithviraj Sukumaran

}}

Release

The film was released through Amazon Prime Video only in India and in theatres worldwide (except India) on 7 October 2021.{{Cite news |date=19 September 2021 |title=Prithviraj's Bhramam to premiere on Amazon Prime Video in October |work=Outlook |url=https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/prithvirajs-bhramam-to-premiere-on-amazon-prime-video-in-october/2162733 |url-status=live |access-date=19 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210919071729/https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/prithvirajs-bhramam-to-premiere-on-amazon-prime-video-in-october/2162733 |archive-date=19 September 2021}}{{Cite web |date=19 September 2021 |title=Prithviraj Sukumaran's Bhramam to release on Amazon Prime Video on Oct 7 |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/prithviraj-sukumaran-s-bhramam-to-release-on-amazon-prime-video-on-oct-7-1854467-2021-09-19 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210921022004/https://www.indiatoday.in/amp/movies/regional-cinema/story/prithviraj-sukumaran-s-bhramam-to-release-on-amazon-prime-video-on-oct-7-1854467-2021-09-19 |archive-date=21 September 2021 |access-date=19 September 2021 |website=India Today}}

Reception

{{expand section|date=September 2023}}

Vishal Menon of Film Companion wrote, "Apart from the meta touches, the other way the film works for people who’ve seen the original is how it gets a lot of its casting right."{{Cite web |last=Menon |first=Vishal |date=6 October 2021 |title=Review Of Bhramam, On Amazon Prime Video: A Wobbly, But Faithful Remake Stitched Together By 80's Nostalgia |url=https://www.filmcompanion.in/reviews/malayalam-review/bhramam-malayalam-movie-review-amazon-prime-prithviraj-wobbly-faithful-remake-nostalgia-raashi-khanna-mamta-mohandas/ |access-date=8 October 2021 |website=Film Companion |archive-date=7 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211007223453/https://www.filmcompanion.in/reviews/malayalam-review/bhramam-malayalam-movie-review-amazon-prime-prithviraj-wobbly-faithful-remake-nostalgia-raashi-khanna-mamta-mohandas/ |url-status=live }}

References

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